Interview with Ketan Jawdekar at Monday 3rd of March 2014: DI: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?KJ : Restaurant décor is a highly challenging area of design. The aesthetics chosen need to appeal to the patrons and stay fresh and interesting over time. The client’s brief therefore needs to be understood thoroughly and adapted sensitively to the décor. As the designers, we try to add value by sharing the benefits of our experience and expertise, with the client. The base for the styling is kept contemporary with certain elements lending the nostalgic touches without compromising on the function.

DI: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?KJ : The attempt is to take out only essential extracts from regional culture and infuse the otherwise contemporary styling with a touch of rural areas. The most important design decision is to use indigenous materials and traditional construction techniques. Use of eco friendly, bio degradable, recycled materials is a need of time and future. We try to balance these aspects without compromising on the functionality and aesthetics of the design.

DI: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?KJ : Design for me is a combination of Desire, Enthusiasm, Simplicity, Innovation, Grace And Necessity. I like to play with Natural materials like stone, wood, earth, water and love to apply them in raw state. It is interesting to venture how each material behaves individually, in contrast; yet combined together creates a poetry in design. The overall ambiance of the restaurants is therefore a fusion of traditional earthy elements with a contemporary design as a base.

DI: What is the most unique aspect of your design?KJ : Functionality and Longitivity is of utmost importance to me. The design has to be simple, functional and should last fresh for generations. In that sense, use of natural materials in their raw state works very well keeping base as a contemporary design.

DI: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?KJ : The eating-out culture has gained tremendous momentum over the years. People have become very adventurous in their food choices and experiment with different cuisine styles from across the world. Theme decors are fun; but can get monotonous over time. In that sense a contemporary styling manages to interest patrons more; and that is necessary to draw them to the F&B outlet over and over again. As a result, natural, recycled materials and objects are seen woven into the contemporary fabric. To create a fusion of Contemporary designs with traditional details keeping in mind the local context is the most interesting and challenging task.

DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?KJ : Established in 1995, a proprietary company now converted into Pvt. Ltd. is a design cell of young and dynamic entrepreneurs implementing innovative ideas for the finest creation. Founded by Ar. Ketan Jawdekar, the Company Team ensures that the output is always different thus making sure of client satisfaction. The company specialises in hospitality architecture and interior design. These are some of the restaurants designed and completed by studio k 7 in the period of 2009 till 2013.

Design Interviews is a resource on Design, Arts & Architecture featuring pre-made interviews with professional designers, artists and architects. DI: Design Interviews is created in order to share the professional lives of designers, architects and artists with design enthusiasts and other designers in order to provide tips for upcoming designers, artists and architects to advance their design knowledge and skills and to give our readers a feel for how designers come up with their designs. DI: Design Interviews was created by DesignPRWire and A' Design Award to promote the winner designers, and to share their insights with the rest of the world.